The present invention relates to picks, in general, and in particular, a pick for picking a string wherein the pick has an aperture and slot configuration for added flexibility.
As known in the art, guitars, bass guitars, banjos, mandolins and other various stringed instruments can be played by picking the strings with a pick, otherwise known as a plectrum, which is usually held between the thumb and one of the forefingers of the hand.
Most of the existing picks are made of plastic, nylon, graphite or other materials. Although the existing picks have different configurations and are made of different materials, many picks are not flexible enough to allow for fast picking. Fast picking, for example, occurs in many bluegrass, rock and country songs which require the player to pick the strings at a very fast speed. Although the existing picks allow the player to pick at a fast speed, added flexibility in the pick will allow the player to acheive higher speeds, and therefore be more efficient. In addition, existing picks are typically rigid. Thus, a player using an existing pick can be caused to frequently drop the pick when picking the string, due to the inability of the pick to flex. One way to prevent the player from dropping the pick is to provide an aperture penetrating through a central portion of the pick and spaced apart from the edge in which the player""s thumb and forefinger are in constant contact though the apreture. Such an object is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,668 to Moshay, hereinafter referred to Moshay.
In Moshay, as shown in FIG. 1, the pick""s features include an aperture in the approximate center of the pick, which allows the player""s thumb and forefinger to be in contact with each other. The configuration in Moshay allows the player to pick a string with a substantially rigid pick without any tendency for the pick to slip out of the grasp of the player. However, Moshay does not address a pick which has added flexibility based on the configuration of the aperture.
What is needed is a pick for picking a string having a configuration that allows the player""s thumb and forefinger to be in contact with one another as well as incorporate added flexibility to allow the player to fast pick. What is also needed is a pick which is flexible enough to prevent it from slipping out from the player""s hand when fast picking.
In one aspect of the invention, a pick has a substantially planar body surrounded by an edge. The pick comprises an aperture penetrating the planar body and a slot in communication between the aperture and a portion of the edge. The planar body includes two leaves, further wherein each leaf is located between the aperture with the slot and a remaining portion of the edge of the planar body. Each leaf is capable of moving substantially independently of one another. The pick further comprises a gripping feature configured on the planar body for allowing added gripping ability to the pick.
In another aspect, a substantially planar pick allows for picking a string, the substantially planar pick has a body, a pointed end and a rounded end positioned opposite of the pointed end. The pick has an aperture located substantially near a center of the body and extending therethrough. A slot is configured to pass from the rounded end to the aperture, wherein the slot is in communication with the aperture. The planar body includes two leaves, further wherein each leaf is configured between the slot and aperture and an edge between the rounded end and the pointed end, each leaf capable of moving substantially independent of each other. The pick further comprises a gripping feature which is configured on the planar body for allowing added gripping ability to the pick.
A pick has a body and a pointed end. The pick has an aperture located substantially near a center of the body and a slot which is configured to extend from the aperture to an edge of the body. Both the aperture and the slot pass through the body of the pick. The body includes two leaves. Each leaf is configured between the slot and aperture and a remaining edge of the body. Each leaf is capable of moving substantially independent of each other. The pick further comprises a gripping feature configured on the planar body for allowing added gripping ability to the pick.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reviewing the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below.